Obituary of Andrew Stuart Palmer, 57

Andrew Stuart Palmer, 57, of State College, died suddenly of heart failure on Saturday, March 13, 2010.

He had been doing his usual Saturday morning errands, on foot, when the heart attack occurred without warning. An observant and kind passerby called 911 and tried to resuscitate Andrew, who was taken promptly to the Emergency Center at Mount Nittany Medical Center. Efforts to revive him were not successful, and he died quietly about 10 a.m.

Andrew was born in Providence, R.I. on Dec. 7, 1952. He moved to State College with his family in 1955. He attended schools in the area and graduated from State College High School's Special Education Program in 1971. Immediately thereafter, he enrolled in a course in grounds maintenance at the Pennsylvania Rehabilitation Center in Johnstown and in June 1972 was awarded a diploma testifying to completion of 687 hours of training. Several jobs with Penn State followed, after which he obtained a position in custodial maintenance with the Penn Traffic Store at the Nittany Mall (later Hess's and then the Bon Ton) which he held for many years. At about the same time, he took on the custodial job at the Senior Center in State College, where he worked for some 36 years, resigning only very recently. But the position to which he was most dedicated was a voluntary one: he served as acolyte at the 8 a.m. Sunday service at St. Andrew's Episcopal Church each and every week for more than 40 years.

Andrew's parents were Howard and Katherine Palmer. His mother pre-deceased him by about six months. He is survived by his father; two brothers and their wives, Jeffrey and Carol Palmer, of Berlin, Md., and David and Sara Palmer, of Concord, N.C.; and four nephews, Justin, Christopher and Jackson Palmer, of Berlin, and Steven Palmer, of Concord.

Andrew's nature was kind and trusting. He loved dogs, rock music, his drum set, art classes, walks, his brothers, '60s and '70s TV, his friends at church and at Southgate Apartments, where he was in the residential program under the aegis of Strawberry Fields (to which the family is much indebted for their supportive care over several years), Scooby Doo, Peanuts and Beetle Bailey, the occasional pizza, and certain card games, notably Kings on the Corner and Crazy Eights.

A memorial service for Andrew is planned for 11 a.m. Saturday, March 27, 2010, St. Andrew's Episcopal Church, 208 W. Foster Ave., State College. Contributions in Andrew's memory may be made to Strawberry Fields, 3054 Enterprise Drive, State College, PA 16801; to St. Andrew's Episcopal Church, 208 W. Foster Ave., State College, PA 16801; or to an animal shelter such as the SPCA or PAWS.